Cleaner for golf club heads and the like



Aug. 30, 1966 Filed Dec. 28,

L. ,J. POSTULA ETAL CLEANER FO R GOLF CLUB HEADS AND THE LIKE :5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

FIGS

INVENTORS LOU/IS J POSTULA VICTOR A. POSTULA ATTORNEY Aug. 30, 1966 J, POSTULA ETAL 3,268,934

CLEANER FOR GOLF CLUB HEADS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 28, 1964 5 SheetsSheet 2 FIG 5 4 I /4 2 l 2 f /5 2 INVENTOR 6 Lows J, POSTULA /9 VICTOR A. POSTULA 20 BY (R (1.9%

ATTORNEY 0, 1966 L. J. POSTULA ETAL 3,268,934

CLEANER FOR GOLF CLUB HEADS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 28, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 A rililliiillllllm INVENTOR LOUJS J. POSTULA I [CTORAPOSTULA BY (Rea QKPM ATTORNEY 3 168,934 lc Patented August 30, 1966 3,268,934 CLEANER FOR GOLF CLUB HEADS AND THE LIKE Louis J. Postula and Victor A. Postula, Marshall, Mich.,

assignors to Postula Products, Inc, Marshall, Mich a corporation of Michigan Filed Dec. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 421,466 20 Claims. (Cl. 1521) The present invention relates broadly to cleaning equipment, and more specifically to an apparatus for cleaning the driving face of the metal head of golf clubs,

Golf club heads have grooves lengthwise of the driving face of same which aid in giving the ball a certain amount of spin for controlling its flight. These grooves as well as part of the club head face gradually pick up a certain amount of dirt and grass particles, under conditions of use, so that the true flight of the driven golf ball is ininterfered with. Golfers who take their game seriously, accordingly, take time out to clean the driving face of the golf club head periodically in various ways by hand such as with the point of a T or jackknife blade, and follow up at home with washing their clubs since there is no equipment on the golf course to clean golf clubs even though there are ball washers commonly placed at the ball teeing up points around the course. It was a recognition of this problem and the complete lack of golf club head cleaning devices on the golf courses which led to the conception and development of the present invention.

Accordingly, among the objects of the present invention is the provision of a golf club head cleaning apparatus.

Another object is to provide a golf club head cleaning apparatus which contains a rotary brush and means for rotating said brush in contact with the grooved metal driving face of the golf club head.

Another object is to provide a golf club head cleaning apparatus which has an opening in its top for the endwise insertion of the outer end of the golf club head.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a self-adjusting golf club head cleaning apparatus.

Another object of this invention is to provide a golf club head cleaning apparatus with an open slotted top having a slidable support member at one side of said slot for supporting the back of the golf club head, said apparatus having a rotary brush in position for brushing and cleaning the ball driving groved face of the golf club head while the back face of same is supported.

A further object of the present invention is to provide the golf club head cleaning apparatus of the present invention with a mild compression spring for forcing the slidable support at the side of the golf club head receiving slot toward the rotary brush to thus adapt the apparatus for handling a moderate range of varying golf club head thicknesses as well as hold the golf club head, during the cleaning of same, against the brush while same is being rotated.

A further object is to provide a golf club head cleaning apparatus with a hollow body having a drain plug in its bottom and an overflow opening near its top so that same can be filled with a cleaning liquid, such as soapy or detergent containing water, in order that the golf club head will be brushed while immersed in the cleaning liquid to facilitate thorough cleaning of grass particles, dirt and other foreign material from the golf club head ball driving face- Still further objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the acomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, consists of the cleaning means hereinafter fully .described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawings and the following description setting forth in detail certain means for carrying out the invention, such disclosed means illustrating, however, but one of various ways in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In the annexed drawings:

FIGURE 1 shows a reduced size perspective view illustrating a preferred form of the golf club head cleaning apparatus of the present invention mounted on a post which also carries of golf ball washing machine.

FIGURE 2 shows a partially sectioned front view of the golf club head cleaning apparatus of the present invention.

FIGURE 3 shows a partially sectioned side view of the golf club head cleaning apparatus of the present invention.

FIGURE 4 shows a partially broken away and sectioned top view of the golf club head cleaning apparatus of the present invention,

FIGURE 5 shows a longitudinal sectional view as taken along line V-V of FIGURE 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 6 shows a fragmentary sectional View of the top portion of the golf club head cleaning apparatus with the golf club in cleaning position, and as taken along line VI-VI of FIGURE 7, looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 7 shows a fragmentary, partially sectioned, view of the cleaning device in like position to that shown in FIGURE 5, but with the golf club head inserted part way in cleaning position, and at right angles to the showing in FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 shows an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view as taken along line VIII-VIII of FIGURE 7, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring more particularly to FIGURE 1, it will be noted that the golf club head cleaner 10 may be mounted, if desired, on a post 11 and that as a matter of convenience such post may also simultaneously serve as a supporter for a golf ball washer 12.

The golf club head cleaner 10 has a body portion 13 which is preferably rust proofed in conventional manner, as by galvanizing, or made from a substantially noncorroding metal such as aluminum. This body portion 13 is provided, when same is to be mounted on a post 11 or the like, with a socket 14, FIGURE 5, to which it may i be anchored as by a setscrew 15. In order for the golf club head cleaner It) to carry an adequate quantity of club head cleaning liquid 18, such as soapy or detergent containing water, FIGURES 2 and 3, the body portion 13 is preferably provided with a well 16, FIGURE 5, and an overflow outlet 17. To drain the liquid 18 from well 16, the body portion 13 is provided at its bottom with a threaded boss 19 into which threaded drain plug 20 is conventionally screwed. The periodic draining of liquid 18 from well 16 permits not only replacement of spent liquid with fresh cleaning liquid 18, but also facilitates removal of dirt, grass, or other sediment which has been cleaned form the golf club head in the course of cleaning same between liquid draining times.

Now referring to FIGURE 6, it will be noted that there is a rotary brush 21 involved and which can be of any suitable type which will retain its cleaning capability and be substantially corrosion resistant even when immersed in a suitable cleaning solution. Typical of such brushes would be those having bronze bristles, stainless steel bristles, plastic bristles, and even fibrous bristles such as are commonly used in scrub brushes, and it is intended that the showing in the drawings be considered to diagrammatically illustrate brushes having various types of bristles suitable for use as herein described. Such rotary brush would be provided with or connected 'such as of the Allen type.

to end members 22 and 23 which serve as trunnions for same. End member 22, for instance, would closely but freely fit into a trunnion bearing 24 in removable cap 25 fitting over opening 26 in body portion 13 with a sealing gasket 27 in place. Removable cap 25 is preferably held in place by means of cap screws 28 which pass through suitable openings (not shown) in removable cap 25 and engage suitable threaded openings (not shown) in body portion 13 so that with said cap screws 28 tightened a leak-proof closure will be attained.

Again referring to FIGURE 6 it will be noted that rotating handle 29 with its hand grip 30 is mounted on the end of the second end member 23 of rotary brush 21 as by means of a setscrew 31, FIGURE 4, preferably inset and provided with a conventional recessed head End member 23 extends all the way through removable cap 32, as shown in FIG- URE 6, which forms a trunnion bearing 56 for said end member, and is preferably of a very close but free fit for leakage resistance. It is intended that the construction shown be considered as diagrammatically illustrating the use of conventional leakage inhibiting constructions such as packing, stufling boxes, et cetera, for said trunnion and its trunnion bearing 56. A gasket 33 is placed between body portion 13 and removable cap 32 which is provided with openings (not shown) for cap screws 34 which engage suitable threaded openings (not shown) in body portion 13 so that when these screws are tightened a leak-proof seal over opening 35 by means of gasket 33 will be attained. It should be noted at this point that openings 26 and 35, covered by removable caps 25 and 32, are one or both preferably made a little larger than the diameter of rotary brush 21 to facilitate initial assembly of the golf club head cleaner as well as the replacement of such brush whenever necessary.

The top of the body portion 13 has a unitary closed top portion 36, FIGURES 4 and 5, which extends a major portion of the distance from the side 37 of body portion 13 across rotary brush 21, while the remainder of the top of body portion 13 is left open to provide an open top portion 57 and an inlet opening 58 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. At opposite sides of this open top portion 57 of body portion 13, same is provided with inwardly extending ribs 38 and 39, FIGURES 4 and 5, which extend a major portion of the distance from closed top portion 36 to the opposite end of said open top portion for a purpose to be hereinafter described. A pair of stop ribs 40 and 41 extend toward the bottom of body portion 13 from ribs 38 and 39, respectively, substantially at the periphery of rotary brush 21 as shown in FIGURE 5. These stop ribs 40 and 41 act as stops for sliding member 42.

As shown in FIGURE 5, sliding member 42 is adapted to cover the major portion of the open top portion 57 of bory portion 13 and is normally resiliently held in that position by means of mild compression spring 43 which engages the back face of the downwardly extending backstop portion 44, while the opposite end of said spring 43 exerts pressure against the adjacent side of body portion 13. While spring 43 may be stabilized in various ways and may be of various types, one preferred form of same is substantially conical as shown. The large end of such spring can supply a stabilized pushing force over a large area of the back face of backstop portion 44 of sliding member 42, while, if desired, side wall 45 of body portion 13 may be provided with an opening 46 of a size to receive and stabilize the small end of said conical spring 43. This opening may be closed by means of a cover plate 47 with a gasket 48 between such cover plate and the body portion 13 around opening 46. Cover plate 47 is preferably provided withperforati-ons (not shown) for the reception of cap screws 49, and body portion 13 is also likewise perforated and threaded (not shown) for engagement with said cap screws, and when same are tightened, sealing said cover plate and gasket in place in liquid-tight manner. This opening 46 with cover plate 47 removed may also be used to aid in periodically cleaning the inside of body portion 13, as well as in starting compression spring 43 into the position shown in FIGURE 7. While the outer end of spring 43 may be stabilized by fitting same into opening 46, it is intended that this spring stabilizing construction be considered as diagrammatically illustrating other equivalent ways of accomplishing this same end.

Sliding member 42 is provided with notches 50 and 51, FIGURE 2, in the top side edges of backstop portion 44 of sliding member 42 for the reception of ribs 38 and 39 extending inward in alinement along the top of the opening in housing or body member 13, as shown. The top panel 52 of sliding member 42 extends sidewise over the top edge portion of the end walls of body portion 13, FIGURE 2, and rests on the top of same. Thus this top panel 52 in combination with notches 50 and 51 in backstop 44 and ribs 38 and 39 in engagement with said notches guides and stabilizes sliding member 42 in its back and forth movements under conditions of use of the golf club head cleaner. The lower end of backstop portion 44 of sliding member 42 is also preferably provided with a stopledge 53, which, if desired, may be sub stantially trough-shaped, as shown in FIGURE 7, to form a stabilizing upwardly open hollow portion into which the end of the golf club head 54 may extend as a maximum insertion of the club head as the grooves 55, FIGURE 8, are being cleaned while brush 21 is being rotated.

To both assemble and dismantle the golf club head cleaner with the insertion or removal of sliding member 42, it is preferable to make ribs 38 and 39 of a length such that spring 43 must be removed first before sliding member 42 can be moved to the right, disengaged from ribs 38 and 39, and lifted out, FIGURE 7. This hampers vandalism by unauthorized persons removing and taking away the sliding member 42 so that the assembly will not operate as well as it should without replacement of this part. The slidability of sliding member 42 while resisted by compression spring 43 adapts the overall assembly for the handling of the metal heads of gold clubs which vary over a considerable thickness range with different makes and types of golf clubs.

To use the golf club head cleaner to full advantage the housing or body portion 13 is first filled with a suitable cleaning liquid 18 substantially to the level of the overflow outlet 17 as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. Then, as shown in FIGURES 6, 7 and 8, the golf club head is pushed down between brush 21 and the backstop portion 44 of sliding member 42 with grooves 55 facing the brush. This brush is then rotated by means of handle 29 while the golf club head 54 is moved up and down so that the face of the golf club head and its grooves 55 will be thoroughly cleaned ready for further use.

For ease of description the golf club head cleaner has been shown and described in upright position, which is the normal one it will assume under conditions of use. Further the assembly has been shown in FIGURE 1 on a post as it would be normally mounted, yet it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to mounting on a post out on the golf course since it can be usedin other places, such as on the counter or on a wall mounting in the pro shop or locker room of the golf course, and even at the home of the individual golfer. The overall assembly, if desired, could be provided with a plastic housing 13, and even when a metal housing is utilized the sliding member 42 can be of plastic for quiet operation. This cover member, with its engagement with relatively deep inwardly extending ribs 38 and 39, also presents the advantage of permitting the face of the golf club head to fit flush with the face of the brush, during cleaning, instead of at an angle as shown in FIGURE 8, since the mild tension compression spring 43 allows the cover member 42 to readily cock about a vertical axis and thus facilitate the cleaning action without abnormal strain on the bristles of brush 21.

While but one form of the invention has been shown and described, other forms will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it will be understood that the embodiment shown in the drawings, and described above, is merely for illustrative purposes, and is not intended to limit the spirit and scope of the invention.

Other modes of applying the principle of our invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the cleaning apparatus and combinations heerin disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

We therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention:

1. An article cleaning device, comprising a housing having an inlet at its top and adapted to contain a cleaning media, a movable brush means within said housing, means supporting said brush for movement Within said housing, means for moving said brush, and a movable means at the inlet of said housing for automatically varying the size of said inlet to receive said article to be cleaned, said inlet opening being in alinement with said brush so that said article to be cleaned may be inserted into said housing through said inlet and held in position for said brush to clean same.

2. An article cleaning device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said movable brush means includes a rotary brush, said brush being adjacent said inlet in the top of said housing so that when said article to be cleaned is inserted into cleaning position through said opening, rotation of said brush on its axis Will aid in cleaning same.

3. An article cleaning device as set forth in claim 2, wherein said means for moving said rotary brush on its axis includes an extension at one end of said brush on its axis, said extension being in the form of a trunnion having a portion extending out of said housing, and said means for moving said brush is outside of said housing and includes means connecting same to the outer end of said trunnion for rotating said brush on its axis.

4. A cleaning device for golf club heads or the like, which comprises a housing having an inlet opening at its top for insertion of the article to be cleaned, said housing being adapted to contain a liquid cleaning media, a substantially cylindrical rotary brush within said housing, means in the sides of said housing and at the ends of said rotary brush substantially on the axis thereof for supporting the latter for rotary movement within said housing adjacent and projecting slightly into one side of said inlet, means for rotating said brush, said means for rotating said brush being outside of said housing, and means at the other side of said inlet opening in the top of said housing for automatically varying the size of said inlet opening to admit therethrou'gh various sizes of articles, such as golf club heads to be cleaned, and guide them into position to be cleaned by said rotary brush during the rotation of same while said article is being moved up and down.

5. A cleaning device as set forth in claim 4, wherein said means for supporting said cylindrical rotary brush for rotary movement is in the form of trunnions on the axis of said rotary brush at opposite ends of same, and trunnion bearings in opposite sides of said housing in position for operably receiving said trunnions.

6. A cleaning device as set forth in claim 5, wherein at least one of said trunnions has an end portion which extends through a trunnion bearing so as to project out from the adjacent side of said housing, and means connecting said means for rotating said brush to the extending end of said trunnion end portion for rotating said brush.

7. A cleaning device as set forth in claim 5, wherein said housing has an overflow means for said liquid cleaning media, said overflow means being adjacent the top of said housing, and wherein said trunnion bearings are lower than said overflow means and substantially leak proof to said liquid cleaning media.

8. A cleaning device as set forth in claim 4, wherein said means in the sides of said housing and on the ends of said rotary brush for supporting the latter for rotary movement within said housing adjacent one side of said inlet comprises removable caps in alinement on opposite sides of said housing, one of said caps having a trunnion bearing recess extending only part way through said cap, with said housing having an opening under at least one of said caps sufliciently large to pass said rotary brush therethrough, means for liquid tight sealing of both of said caps on said housing, the other of said caps having a trunnion bearing with the opening in same extending completely through said cap, said means on the end-s of said brush being in axial alinement with each other and'including a trunnion at one end of said brush closely but freely fitting said trunnion bearing in said one of said caps, and a second trunnion at the other end of said brush closely but freely fitting the trunnion bearing in the other of said caps and having a portion extending completely therethrough for engagement with said means for rotating said brush.

9. In a cleaning device of the character described, the combination which comprises a housing in which cleaning of the end portion of an article extending thereinto is to take place, said housing having a unitary portion of same extending part way across its top, a movable member closing at least a portion of the remainder of the top of said housing with an inlet into said housing between said unitary top portion and said movable member, said movable member having end portion contacting and positioning surfaces, a cleaning brush rotatably mounted in said housing, said contacting surface acting on said end portion urging it towards said cleaning means, said inlet being of suitable size and shape to receive the end portion of the article to be cleaned and which inlet is of automatically variable size, and means for guiding said movable member in its endwise movements.

10. In a cleaning device as set forth in claim 9, wherein there is resilient means for normally holding said movable member in position maintaining a predetermined minimum size inlet into the top of said housing.

11. In a cleaning device as set forth in claim 10, wherein said resilient means is in the form of a coiled compression spring.

12. In a cleaning device as set forth in claim 9, wherein said housing and said movable member have cooperating means for stabilizing and guiding said movable member in its endwise movements automatically varying the size of said inlet into said housing.

13. In a cleaning device as set forth in claim 11, wherein said housing and said movable member have cooperating means for stabilizing and guiding said movable member in its endwise movement-s automatically varying the size of said inlet into said housing.

14. A cleaning device for golf club heads or the like, which comprises a housing having one end portion of the top of said housing closed and having an inlet opening alongside the edge of said closed top portion for insertion of the end portion of the article to be cleaned into the top of said housing, said housing being adapted to contain a liquid cleaning media, a substantially cylindrical rotary brush within said housing, means in the sides of said housing and at the ends of said rotary brush substantially on the axis thereof for supporting the latter for rotary movement within said housing at the upper portion of same and projecting slightly into said inlet opening from in under said closed top portion, said projecting portion of said brush being substantially parallel with the adjacent side of said inlet opening, means for rotating said brush, slidable housing cover means at the other side of said inlet opening for varying the size of said inlet opening to admit therethrough various sizes of articles, such as golf club heads to be cleaned, and guide them into position to be cleaned by said rotary brush during the rotation of same while said article is being moved up and down, and means for resiliently holding said slidable housing cover means normally in position such that said inlet opening is of its predetermined minimum size ready for receiving the article to be cleaned.

15. A cleaning device for golf club heads or the like as set forth in claim 14, wherein said means in the sides of said housing and at the ends of said rotary brush for supporting the latter is in the form of trunnions substantially on the axis of said rotary brush at opposite ends of same, and trunnion bearings in the opposite sides of said housing in position to closely but freely receive and support said trunnions in operable position.

16. A cleaning device for golf club heads or the like as set forth in claim 15, wherein at least one of said trunnions has a portion which extends out through a trunnion bearing so as to project out from the adjacent side of said housing, and means connecting said means for rotating said brush to said extending end of said trunnion end portion for rotating said brush.

17. A cleaning device for golf club heads or the like as set forth in claim 15, wherein said housing has an overflow means for said liquid cleaning media, said overflow means being adjacent the top of said housing, and wherein said trunnion bearings are lower than said overflow means and substantially leak proof to said liquid cleaning media, and further wherein said means for rotating said brush are outside of said housing.

18. A cleaning device for golf clubs or the like as set forth in claim 14, wherein said means for resiliently holding said slidable housing cover means normally in position such that said inlet opening is of its predetermined minimum size ready for receiving the article to be cleaned is in the form of a mild compression spring.

19. A cleaning device for golf clubs or the like as .set forth in claim 14, wherein said means in the sides of said housing and on the ends of said rotary brush for supporting the latter for rotary movement within said housing adjacent one side of said inlet comprises removable caps in alinement on opposite sides of said housing, one of said caps having a trunnion bearing recess extending only part way through said cap, with said housing having an opening under at least one of said caps sufficiently large to pass said rotary brush therethrough,

means for liquid tight sealing of both of said caps on said housing, the other of said caps having a trunnion bearing with the opening in same extending completely through said cap, said means on the ends of said brush being in axial alinement with each other and including a trunnion at one end of said brush closely but freely fitting said trunnion bearing in said one of said caps, and a second trunnion at the other end of said brush closely but freely fitting the trunnion bearing in the other of said caps and having a portion extending completely therethrough for engagement with said means for rotating said brush.

20. A cleaning device for golf clubs or the like as set forth in claim 14, wherein said means for resiliently holding said slidable housing cover means normally in posi tion such that said inlet opening is of its predetermined minimum size ready for receiving the article to be cleaned is in the form of a mild compression spring, and wherein said means in the sides of said housing and on the ends of said rotary brush for supporting the latter for rotary movement within said housing adjacent one side of said inlet comprises removable caps in alinement on opposite sides of said housing, one of said caps having a trunnion bearing recess extending only part way through said cap, with said housing having an opening under at least one of said caps sufiiciently large to pass said rotary brush therethrough, means for liquid tight sealing of both of said caps on said housing, the other of said caps having a trunnion bearing with the opening in same extending completely through said cap, said means on the ends of said brush being in axial alinement with each other and including a trunnion at one end of said brush closely but freely fitting said trunnion bearing in said one of said caps, and a second trunnion at the other end of said brush closely but freely fitting the trunnion bearing in the other of said caps and having a portion extending completely therethrough for engagement with said means for rotating said brush.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,493,917 5/1924 Brandon et a1 15-38 2,526,485 10/1950 Kortick 15-310 2,696,014 12/1954 Richterkessing 15-40 3,008,161 11/1961 Jensen 15-21 2,080,591 3/1963 Townsend 1539 CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

EDWARD L. ROBERTS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN ARTICLE CLEANING DEVICE, COMPRISING A HOUSING HAVING AN INLET AT ITS TOP AND ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A CLEANING MEDIA, A MOVABLE BRUSH MEANS WITHIN SAID HOUSING, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID BRUSH FOR MOVABLE WITHIN SAID HOUSING, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID BRUSH, AND A MOVABLE MEANS AT THE INLET OF SAID HOUSING FOR AUTOMATICALLY VARYING THE SIZE OF SAID INLET TO RECEIVE SAID ARTICLE TO BE CLEANED, SAID INLET OPENING BEING IN ALINEMENT WITH SAID BRUSH SO THAT SAID ARTICLE TO BE CLEANED MAY BE INSERTED INTO SAID HOUSING THROUGH SAID INLET AND HELD IN POSITION FOR SAID BRUSH TO CLEAN SAME. 